


to love

by strawberryv



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Best Friends, Childhood Friends, Getting Together, Graduation, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:28:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25204735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strawberryv/pseuds/strawberryv
Summary: As the setting sun paints the sky in pink and orange, Kenma falls in love again, and again.
Relationships: Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou
Comments: 2
Kudos: 62





	1. Kenma has always disliked winter.

The buzzing of Kenma's phone wakes him up.  
Kenma shivers under his blankets as he glares outside, dreading the walk to the train station. It's still dark outside, and there's only one person who would text him this early. Half asleep, he eyes the text groggily, squinting against the backlight of his phone. Sure enough, it's Kuroo, sounding way too chipper for six in the morning.  
In the few months before their finals, Kuroo has been going to school earlier to study in the school library. To Kenma, this is just another reminder that Kuroo is moving ahead again, and Kenma is stuck in the same place-  
(He waits for the train alone, huddling into his scarf, cold fingers tightening around his PSP.)

❄️

The months before Kuroo's exams go like this:  
Kenma takes the train to school alone in the morning, spends the day pretending to listen to his teachers during class and ignoring Taketora at lunchtime. After school, Kenma meets up with Kuroo and the other third-years in their team at the school library. Kenma pockets his PSP, pulls out his textbooks, pretends not to notice the others glancing at him proudly. 

They go home when the sun starts to set, Kuroo humming the melody of some kpop song as they walk.  
The train is nearly empty, except for a weary-looking middle-aged lady hushing a whimpering baby, and an old man clutching a can of sake, singing softly to himself. Outside, the sun paints golden streaks across the pale sky as concrete buildings and overhead power lines pass by in a blur. Kuroo talks about his hopes and dreams, and Kenma listens, stealing glances at Kuroo out of the corner of his eyes.  
Grey clouds gather overhead, and neither of them move away when the backs of their hands brush together at every jostle of the train.  
(Kenma has always wished these days would never end.) 

It starts raining just as they arrive at Kenma's house. Kuroo studies in Kenma's room, and Kenma watches Kuroo study as he presses buttons in combinations engraved in his muscle memory.  
The scratch of lead against paper, the background music of his game, lowered to a minimum, and the pattering of rain against his window lulls him slowly to sleep.  
The rain falls steadily outside. 

"Kenma, I'm going home now."  
Kenma yawns and opens his eyes. Kuroo jolts back from where his hand hovers over Kenma's head, and he thinks he sees the faintest hint of pink on his face before Kuroo turns away.  
"See you tomorrow,"  
Kenma nods, but Kuroo is already gone, leaving behind a rush of air and a lingering trace of fabric softener. 

Kuroo leaves, black cat-eared umbrella unfurled over his head as he walks out into the rain. Kenma decides the best way to ignore the pounding of his heart is by starting a new game of Pokémon, which inevitably leads to an all-nighter to clear the game.  
It's dark outside when he looks outside at exactly five minutes past 5am, cold air seeping through the closed window. He pulls the blanket draped across his shoulders around him a bit tighter.  
Kuroo jogs past, illuminated in the moonlight.  
Kenma lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding. 

Somehow, Kuroo knows about Kenma's all-nighter, even though Kenma made sure his bedroom light wasn't on this time. Kuroo gives him the usual lecture about the importance of sleep, knowing full well Kenma isn't listening.  
When Kenma looks up, Kuroo is staring at him, the crinkling of his eyes betraying the fond exasperation in his voice.  
(Kenma ducks his head, pretends his heart doesn't beat faster.)

❄️

Kuroo spends the day before his university entrance exam sprawled on Kenma's bed, textbooks open in his lap. Kenma's mum gives Kuroo extra fish on his rice at dinner, and Kenma's dad thumps Kuroo on the back encouragingly with a smile.  
Later, Kenma waits as Kuroo shakes water out of his cat-eared umbrella, droplets of water landing on the doorstep.  
"Are you nervous?" he asks, scooting further into the house when a drop lands on his leg.  
Kuroo pauses, the umbrella stills in his hand. "Mm, a bit."  
"You'll definitely pass," he murmurs as Kuroo starts to head off, thinking about the countless hours Kuroo dedicated to his studies. Kuroo doesn't turn around, but Kenma sees the tension in his shoulders relax slightly as he leaves, lifting a hand in goodbye. 

When Kuroo comes over after the entrance exam, Kenma takes one look at his face and knows it went well. And when the acceptance letter arrives, Kuroo laughs it off like it isn't a big deal, but Kenma sees the relief written in Kuroo's eyes, sees it in the way he places the letter gently on top of his closed textbooks.  
Kuroo accepts his scholarship, and Kenma pretends the open suitcase lying idly on the floor of Kuroo's room doesn't exist.


	2. Kenma has never really liked spring either, but-

The sakura trees are just starting to bloom.   
Today, Kenma's classmates seem to have decided that they aren't going to learn anything, given the way an excited buzz thrums through the classroom. The teacher seems to have given up, half-heartedly telling the class to quiet down, relief written on his face when the bell rings. 

Kuroo, like the other third years, has stopped coming to school every day. Without Kuroo to make sure they gets home early, Kenma decides to take a detour to the riverbank near his house. 

Kenma sits down gingerly on the bottom step of the concrete stairs leading to the riverbank. An old couple walks past, arm in arm, smiling at him as they pass by. A few middle school students are splashing around in the river, their shoes and bags sprawled on the grass near Kenma.   
He sighs, the small breeze rustling the tops of his knees.   
He's probably in love with Kuroo. 

"Found you,"   
Kenma's heart nearly jumps out of his body. "Kuro!"   
Kuroo stands up and cackles loudly. The sun is just starting to set, painting the sky with streaks of pink and orange. Overhead, a train whooshes past, the breeze further ruffling the mess that is Kuroo's hair.   
Kenma looks away, ignores the bubbly feeling in his stomach. "Why are you here?"   
"I came to find you." Kuroo smiles at him lightly. "What's up?"  
"Just thinking," he mumbles, resting his chin on his knees.   
"It's not like you to be sentimental."  
"I'm not being sentimental," Kenma huffs.   
Kuroo ignores him and looks out over the riverbank like he's the main character of some Korean drama. After a pause, he says, "You know, Kenma, it's not like I'm leaving really far away, but you can't really take care of yourself so I'm going to be worried about you all the time."   
Kenma frowns, opening his mouth to protest, but before he can say anything, Kuroo adds, "But I'm still going to miss you a lot."   
"Gross," Kenma says, heart thumping traitorously loudly. He ducks his head.   
"You can't hide from me Kenma, I see you smiling," Kuroo snickers.   
Kenma lets out a despairing sigh. When he looks back up, Kuroo is staring at him, a smile playing on his lips.   
"What," Kenma says, unable to keep the tone of being helplessly smitten out of his voice.   
Kuroo merely grins. "Nothing."   
(And as the setting sun paints the sky in pink and orange, Kenma falls in love again, and again.)

🌸

Kenma lies awake the night before Kuroo's graduation, his head full of Kuroo and Kuroo and Kuroo.   
He sighs, giving up on trying to sleep. Opening his window, he props his chin on his hands, letting the night breeze cool his face. On the street below, a cat slinks out of the shadows and mewls, before disappearing into a nearby house.   
His phone lies on his desk, and he eyes it, before reaching over and calling Kuroo. 

The phone rings twice before Kuroo picks up. "Wow, you're calling me? And at this hour?" he teases.   
Kenma scowls. "I'm hanging up."  
"Wait, wait, I'm kidding. What's up, Kenma?"  
He pauses, biting his lip. He doesn't say I'm in love with you- "You’re going too far away," he says instead.   
"It's an hour's train ride," Kuroo chuckles, but it's warm.   
Chewing on his lip, Kenma whispers, "I’m still going to miss you,"   
Kuroo doesn't say anything for a while, and Kenma regrets saying it. He waits nervously, before Kuroo says, "Kenma, I'm coming over."

"Man, I haven't climbed that tree since we were young," Kuroo laughs breathily as he climbs through the window, sliding it shut behind him. “Hey, Kenma.”   
"Hi," Kenma mutters, shifting so that Kuroo can join him on the edge of his bed.   
"Shit, Kenma, your arms are so cold," Kuroo drapes Kenma's blanket over their shoulders and slides closer until their shoulders are pressed together. 

They stay silent, the night air warm in Kenma's room. A cricket chirps relentlessly outside, and the stars reflected in Kuroo's eyes twinkle quietly.   
Kuroo waits, and Kenma's heart thumps too quickly, too loudly in the soft moonlight. "I'm scared that you'll forget about me," he whispers.   
Kuroo turns to face him, knees bumping against his. Kenma's breath catches in his throat.   
"Kuro," he continues, heart thumping in his chest. "Wait for me,"  
Kuroo's eyes soften, and he places his hand on Kenma’s cheek gently. Kenma nearly forgets to breathe.   
"Kenma, I've always been waiting for you."   
(Kuroo looks at him with so much love in his eyes, and finally, Kenma understands.)

🌸

Kenma glares as girls surround Kuroo, bearing gifts. He thinks he recognises some from his class.   
"Someone's jealous," Taketora snickers.   
Ignoring him, Kenma watches as Kuroo spots them under the tree and breaks away from the girls. He heads over to them, smirk growing wider when he sees Kenma slouching behind Lev.   
"What, no flowers for me?" Kuroo grins slyly. Kenma thrusts a small bouquet into his outstretched hand, glaring at him.   
"Why thank you, Kenma."   
The others give their congratulations, and they slip away with promises to meet them at Kuroo's house later. 

A smile threatens to bloom on Kenma's face as he watches Kuroo gaze up at the sakura trees dramatically.   
"Hmm, it's raining sakura petals," Kuroo grins, and Kenma notices a few petals clinging onto his uncontrollable bedhead.   
"You have petals in your hair," Kenma reaches up, standing on his toes.   
Kuroo gently grabs his wrist, and Kenma almost falls into Kuroo's shoulder. "Wha-"   
He can feel the warmth of Kuroo's hand through his sleeve. When he looks up, Kuroo is smiling down at him, the corner of his mouth tugging up in a lopsided smirk, and Kenma melts.   
"Can I kiss you?" Kuroo whispers, the words little puffs of air rustling the top of his head.   
"You're so embarrassing," Kenma mutters, but he's smiling, and so is Kuroo, warm against Kenma's lips.


End file.
